[Read up to Chapter - 78 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
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While Hiruzen was deep in thought, strategizing how to isolate the Uchiha and fully strip them of influence in Konoha's central power structure, the door to his office suddenly burst open.
He frowned, clearly displeased. "Don't you know how to knock?"
"Hiruzen, your temper's gotten worse. Is the Uchiha Clan giving you that much of a headache?" Danzō stepped inside.
"Danzō? What are you doing here?" Hiruzen's frown deepened.
Though Danzō was officially the Hokage's advisor, he usually remained buried within the Root organisation, rarely showing himself.
"I'm here to talk about Uchiha Kanzou," Danzō said bluntly. "That boy is a cancer, much more so than the rest of the Uchiha Clan. The Uchiha Clan itself has no place in Konoha Village. We need to eliminate them… especially this boy Uchiha Kanzou."
A dangerous glint flashed in Danzō's eyes.
The Root ninja he had sent to summon Kanzou had gone completely silent. Danzō was certain the operative hadn't betrayed him—something must have happened.
Someone had dared to act against him—and the fact that it was a Uchiha, the very clan he despised most, ignited a quiet, seething fury within him.
If the Uchiha clan had been any weaker, Danzo would have already led the Root organization to wipe them out. But relying solely on Root to take down the Uchiha would result in significant losses, even in victory. That's why Danzo had come to Hiruzen—he wanted the Hokage's support.
With the combined strength of Konoha's Anbu and Root, exterminating the Uchiha could be done… even if not the entire Clan, at least, Uchiha Kanzou and his top followers can be dealt with… which would make it easier to control and exploit the rest of the Uchiha Clan. Even eliminating them won't be an issue.
"Danzo, you're being too extreme. I won't allow it," Hiruzen replied firmly.
It wasn't out of mercy that he refused to move against the Uchiha—it was because he couldn't afford to. Launching an assault on the Uchiha would cause enormous damage to Konoha as well.
And once word of internal conflict spread through the spies hidden within the village, the other Villages would seize the opportunity to strike.
Moreover, such an attack would raise alarm among the other clans in Konoha. If the Uchiha could be wiped out, what would stop the same fate from befalling them?
"Hiruzen, don't be naïve. The Uchiha clan will be the death of this village—they're a ticking time bomb," Danzo said, glaring at Hiruzen with growing fury.
His dissatisfaction with Hiruzen had only deepened. The once-proud hero of the First Great Shinobi War had grown soft. In Danzo's eyes, Hiruzen no longer deserved the title of Hokage—he should have been Hokage all along.
Danzo, a fellow disciple of the Second Hokage, had never once considered himself inferior to Hiruzen.
"You clearly don't understand the consequences of moving against the Uchiha," Hiruzen warned coldly. "I won't authorise it. And I suggest your Root organization stay out of it—because if you don't, I won't hesitate to dissolve Root myself."
Hiruzen's voice was calm, but firm.
Seeing his plan rejected, Danzo left with a gloomy expression, but not without throwing one last warning over his shoulder: "You'll regret this, Sarutobi."
Meanwhile, the major ninja clans of Konoha were stunned by how swiftly Uchiha Kanzou had risen to the position of clan head.
The only one who wasn't surprised… was probably Nara Shikaku.
Although many people were unhappy with Kanzou's rise, they couldn't change the fact that he had become the new head of the Uchiha clan.
…
"Patriarch, Fugaku has disappeared—he's suspected to have been taken away," Shin reported with a grave expression.
After Fugaku was expelled from the clan, Shin had secretly kept an eye on him, even planning to find an opportunity to eliminate him. Though no longer a member of the Uchiha clan, Shin believed it was safest if Fugaku were dead. Yet it turned out that Fugaku seemed to have vanished…
"I see," Kanzou nodded calmly.
He didn't consider Fugaku a threat. After all, even though Fugaku was the clan head in the original timeline and managed to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, Kanzou now held complete control.
"Keep an eye on Shinkurou's movements. Try to win him over," Kanzou added.
Shinkurou was an Elite Jōnin-level shinobi and not far from achieving Kage-level power.
"That guy was raised by the old man Douma. I doubt he'll betray Fugaku—it'll be hard to win him over," Shin said with a troubled expression.
He was clearly hesitant. After all, Shinkurou was a loyal follower groomed by the previous patriarch to support his son, and it was unlikely he would defect to their side.
"Try anyway. It doesn't matter if you fail. And if he refuses to see reason… then there's no need for him to keep living."
Though Kanzou couldn't openly execute him, if he truly wanted Shinkurou dead, there were plenty of ways to make it happen discreetly.
After giving his instructions, Kanzou dismissed Shin, leaving only him and Mikoto in the room.
"You did well earlier," Kanzou said, eyeing Mikoto with satisfaction.
Hearing his praise, Mikoto wasn't sure how to feel.
It was obvious he saw her as nothing more than a pawn used to bring down Fugaku.
'It doesn't matter…' shaking her head, she bowed to Kanzou and turned to leave.
But Kanzou stopped her, "Mikoto…"
"What is it, Kanzou-sama?" asked Mikoto, turning around.
"Come here…" said Kanzou, patting his lap.
Mikoto blushed, but having grown to be submissive to him, she didn't complain and silently sat on his lap. Soon enough, she found something hard poking her butt… which made her all the more flustered and ashamed.
"You do deserve some reward for your performance…" said Kanzou, lifting her chin, and said to her, in a dominating voice, "From now on, stay here with me… serve me…"
"Um," nodded Mikoto, burying her head in his chest.
Absentmindedly caressing her hair, Kanzou began to think of what Shin had said earlier, 'Who the hell took away Fugaku?'
Two likely suspects coming to mind: the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and Danzo of the Root Organization.
There was also a third possibility… that being Uchiha Madara.
But recalling Fugaku's incompetence and that he has no one close by who'd be able to help him awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, Kanzou felt that it was probably not Madara.
Since that option was excluded, he focused on the remaining two before him. Both were highly suspicious, though Sarutobi Hiruzen seemed the most likely.
"No matter who it was… a beaten dog isn't worth worrying about," Kanzou scoffed.
He didn't care who had taken Fugaku—either way, Fugaku no longer posed any threat to him. Even if he awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, Kanzou wouldn't be concerned… rather, he would be happy as there would be a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan that he could make use of…
'I guess I'll hand over the task of locating Fugaku and keeping an eye on him to Hazuki… she should be able to find him…' With that, he decided not to focus on Fugaku at the moment. Turning his attention back on Mikoto, he casually asked her, "You have a friend named Uzumaki Kushina, right?"
The moment Mikoto heard Kushina's name from Kanzou's mouth, her expression changed. She instantly realised what Kanzou was thinking.
"Kanzou-sama… You're after Kushina-chan…?" she whispered, already knowing the answer.
That's right—Kanzou had set his sights on Kushina. Beyond the evil points he could gain, Kushina herself was a rare treasure.
The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki—an orphan of the Uzumaki clan—carried the legacy of their powerful Fuinjutsu.
Many of the most renowned sealing techniques in the ninja world originated from the Uzumaki clan.
The Uzumaki were blessed with both the Sage Body and advanced sealing prowess, and they too were descendants of the Sage of Six Paths—specifically, the bloodline of Ōtsutsuki Ashura.
Kanzou couldn't help but feel envious of the Uzumaki clan's mastery over sealing techniques.
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Drop power Powerstonessssssssss!
[Read up to Chapter - 78 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]